Topical skin care composition

Abstract

A cream base for the topical application of skin care therapeutics and a process for making the cream base. In one embodiment, the therapeutic is tretinoin, hydroquinone and fluocinolone acetonide for the treatment of hyperpigmented skin conditions, such as melasma.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process of making a topical medicated composition, the composition being an emulsion comprising active ingredients consisting of fluocinolone acetonide, hydroquinone and tretinoin, the process comprising the steps of:
 (a) preparing an aqueous composition comprising water and at least one hydrophilic compound while heating at a temperature in the range of about 75° C. to about 80° C.; 
 (b) preparing a non-aqueous composition comprising at least two hydrophobic compounds while heating at a temperature in the range of about 75° C. to about 80° C.; 
 (c) combining the aqueous and non-aqueous compositions to form a mixture, wherein steps (a) through (c) are conducted in the absence of an emulsifier; 
 (d) adding at least one emulsifier to the mixture comprising the aqueous and non-aqueous compositions; 
 (e) adding tretinoin to the mixture comprising the aqueous and non-aqueous compositions; 
 (f) adding fluocinolone acetonide to the mixture comprising the aqueous and non-aqueous compositions; 
 (g) adding hydroquinone to the mixture comprising the aqueous and non-aqueous compositions, wherein the hydroquinone is added after adding the at least one emulsifier; and 
 (h) homogenizing the mixture to form the emulsion. 
 
     
     
       2. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous composition comprises butylated hydroxytoluene. 
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the non-aqueous composition comprises at least two hydrophobic compounds selected from the group consisting of cetyl alcohol, stearic acid, stearyl alcohol, methyl gluceth, methylparaben, propylparahen, and glycerin. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the non-aqueous composition consists essentially of cetyl alcohol, stearic acid, stearyl alcohol, methyl gluceth, methylparaben, propylparaben, and glycerin. 
     
     
       5. The process of  claim 1 , wherein step (c) further comprises cooling the mixture to a temperature in the range of about 68° C. to about 72° C. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the emulsifier is a combination of glyceryl stearate and polyethylene glycol stearate. 
     
     
       7. The process of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the mixture after adding at least one emulsifier. 
     
     
       8. The process of  claim 7 , further comprising adding citric acid to the mixture after cooling. 
     
     
       9. The process of  claim 8 , further comprising cooling the mixture after adding citric acid. 
     
     
       10. The process of  claim 1 , wherein step (e) is conducted during step (d). 
     
     
       11. The process of  claim 10 , further comprising cooling the mixture after adding at least one emulsifier and tretinoin. 
     
     
       12. The process of  claim 11 , further comprising adding citric acid to the mixture after cooling. 
     
     
       13. The process of  claim 11 , further comprising cooling the mixture after adding citric acid. 
     
     
       14. The process of  claim 1 , wherein steps (e) and (f) are conducted during step (d). 
     
     
       15. The process of  claim 14 , further comprising cooling the mixture after adding at least one emulsifier, tretinoin and fluocinolone acetonide. 
     
     
       16. The process of  claim 15 , further comprising adding citric acid to the mixture after cooling. 
     
     
       17. The process of  claim 16 , further comprising cooling the mixture after adding citric acid. 
     
     
       18. The process of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the mixture before adding the hydroquinone.